News / National
Residents slam MDC-T councillors
02 May 2016 at 11:35hrs | Views
Harare residents have slammed MDC-T councillors for blocking a forensic audit at Harare City Council-owned firms and joint ventures saying ratepayers need to know how their finances were being managed.
The councillors blocked the audit, dismissing the exercise as a witch-hunt by Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Saviour Kasukuwere.
However, the Harare Residents Trust said the audit of Harare City Council business units was necessary and long overdue, accusing councillors of illegally recruiting personnel into City Parking and EasiPark.
"Their accounts are reportedly independent of the City Treasury Department, meaning the city's finance director has no access to the City Parking and EasiPark finances and therefore lacks oversight control.
"So the call to have these arms audited is received with excitement as we definitely know that the game is up for a lot of officials in the council and councillors who have made these places of council operations their personal territories where even unemployed councillors have amassed such wealth that some now even drive around in the latest BMWs. How have they managed this under the biting socio-economic hardships," quizzed HRT.
Combined Harare Residents Association chairman Mr Simbarashe Moyo said the refusal by councillors to have firms audited raised unnecessary scrutiny.
"Ordinarily companies should be audited. They were supposed to hand over audit reports if they have any. If you handle public funds you should be open to audits," he said.
Most of the companies in question are still to take off and only City Parking, which is operating, has been declaring dividends.
The company has audit reports for 2013 and 2014 and is also undergoing another Government audit.
Harare Sunshine Holdings chairperson Mr Percy Toriro last week said the board was not against the audit but wanted clear instructions from council.
"The shareholder needs to communicate to us in a clear manner.
"At the moment there is no clarity between instructions from the mayor (suspended Councillor Bernard Manyenyeni) which had acceded to the audit and the current indications from the business committee, which is indicating that there is no agreement for an audit," he said.
MDC-T spokesperson Mr Obert Gutu said his party was opposed to the audit.
"(Minister Saviour) Kasukuwere) has got no business ordering the city council what to do or what not to do. He has absolutely no constitutional mandate and/or basis to order that particular audit. This is a witch-hunt. We know it. He is motivated by utmost bad faith," he said.
The councillors blocked the audit, dismissing the exercise as a witch-hunt by Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Saviour Kasukuwere.
However, the Harare Residents Trust said the audit of Harare City Council business units was necessary and long overdue, accusing councillors of illegally recruiting personnel into City Parking and EasiPark.
"Their accounts are reportedly independent of the City Treasury Department, meaning the city's finance director has no access to the City Parking and EasiPark finances and therefore lacks oversight control.
"So the call to have these arms audited is received with excitement as we definitely know that the game is up for a lot of officials in the council and councillors who have made these places of council operations their personal territories where even unemployed councillors have amassed such wealth that some now even drive around in the latest BMWs. How have they managed this under the biting socio-economic hardships," quizzed HRT.
Combined Harare Residents Association chairman Mr Simbarashe Moyo said the refusal by councillors to have firms audited raised unnecessary scrutiny.
"Ordinarily companies should be audited. They were supposed to hand over audit reports if they have any. If you handle public funds you should be open to audits," he said.
Most of the companies in question are still to take off and only City Parking, which is operating, has been declaring dividends.
The company has audit reports for 2013 and 2014 and is also undergoing another Government audit.
Harare Sunshine Holdings chairperson Mr Percy Toriro last week said the board was not against the audit but wanted clear instructions from council.
"The shareholder needs to communicate to us in a clear manner.
"At the moment there is no clarity between instructions from the mayor (suspended Councillor Bernard Manyenyeni) which had acceded to the audit and the current indications from the business committee, which is indicating that there is no agreement for an audit," he said.
MDC-T spokesperson Mr Obert Gutu said his party was opposed to the audit.
"(Minister Saviour) Kasukuwere) has got no business ordering the city council what to do or what not to do. He has absolutely no constitutional mandate and/or basis to order that particular audit. This is a witch-hunt. We know it. He is motivated by utmost bad faith," he said.
Source - the herald
